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Monthly Archives: June 2012

This month my family has been on a journey as we experienced the critical illness of my mother, Dorothy Luebbert, and her home going on June 23. In preparing for her funeral, I put together a PowerPoint of pictures across the years. There were many significant moments captured. What stood out to me in the midst of putting the pictures together was that mom was always there. Whatever the occassion, she and dad made the trip to be with us.

As we outlined the funeral service, I had one song that I wanted to be sure we included: “We’ve a Story to Tell.” This hymn has been the GA song as long as I can remember. My mother was a GA leader for many years when I was young. She was never my group leader, but she taught the Intermediate GAs and they often met at our house. She was also the Associational GA leader and would plan quarterly GA rallies as well as weeks of camp. Missionary speakers for those events often had meals at our house. So, between the GAs gathered around the table or the missionaries who ate with us, I often say that I learned missions at my dining room table.

While my mother had great influence on me in many ways, I think her WMU influence was the most significant. Through the work of the countless missionaries for whom she has prayed, given money, or taught others about their work, her missions legacy lives on. Through the girls she taught and the things they have done in missions, her legacy lives on. Through my own work with WMU, her legacy lives on.

Mother was active in WMU all her life. She served as a church WMU director, missions group leader, and in other roles. She stopped leading GAs, however, when WMU made changes in 1970, starting Girls in Action and Acteens in place of Junior Girls Auxiliary and Intermediate Girls Auxiliary. She said that she did not want to start over in all the stuff she had accumulated through the years to do GAs. So, even though I was just in grade school and middle school during her GA leadership years that touched my life, those were formative years. I point this out as an encouragement to all missions leaders with children and teenagers. Keep investing. You are leaving a missions legacy that will continue beyond your life time.

Among the many things I learned from my mother, I learned how to write well, present a missions program, and make posters and displays (and even though I do graphics on the computer now, the same principles apply). These are all skills that I still use today.

With great gratitude, I say thanks and pay tribute to my mother. Her missions legacy lives on!

Under the banner of Missions Challenge, campers and chaperones are learning about missions at the summer Olympics during 2012 WMU-sponsored camps and overnights. In addition, campers will participate in Bible study, spend time with a missionary, enjoy recreation, go to the pool, and learn through variety of missions activities. All of this in a beautiful wooded setting and supplemented with special adventure recreation activities.

WMU camps and overnights are taking place in two locations – Cedar Crest, the WMU camp at Cedarmore, and at Jonathan Creek. Cedar Crest includes week long camps for girls and boys, grades 3-6, which are taking place June 11-15, 18-22, and 25-29. Mother/Daughter and Father/Son Overnights are June 15-16 and 22-23. Overnights at the Creek will be held July 13-14 and registration is open until June 29. Options include Mother/Daughter (girls, grades 1-3, and moms), GA (girls, grades 4-6, and leaders) and Acteens Splash (girls, grades 7-12, and leaders).

WMU camps and overnights are made possible by your gifts to the Cooperative Program and the Eliza Broadus Offering. Because fees paid by campers cover only lodging and meals, the Eliza Broadus offering provides the expenses for the camp staff, missionaries, medical volunteers, and others who assist in the camp programming. EBO also makes it possible for chaperones to attend camp with the campers at a greatly reduced rate and provides scholarships (one-half of the normal fees) for needy campers.

Stacy Nall, Camp Director, and Jonathan Auten, Royal Ambassadors Consultant, have worked hard to plan great camp experiences for the girls and boys. We have also partnered with the KBC Collegiate Ministries Department this summer. A KBC Acts 1:8 Team of college students is serving as our our camp staff at Cedar Crest. The Acts 1:8 Team will work with us throughout June, then go to Haiti in July to lead children’s camps there. Stacy Nall, Maryann Lee (Acteens Consultant), and others will lead our overnights at Jonathan Creek in July.

Please pray for all of the campers who are attending this summer. Pray that children who have not yet made professions of faith will come to faith in Christ during camp. Pray for campers to learn about God’s work around the world and to respond to His call to be a part of missions. Some campers may feel a call to serve as a missionary. Pray that they will be sensitive and responsive.

Pray for the chaperones and parents who are attending camps and overnights with the campers. Pray for their relationships with the children. Pray for wisdom in responding to questions and in encouraging the campers to participate fully in all the activities. Pray for opportunities to pray with campers and to lead those who are not saved to faith in Christ.

Pray for our Acts 1:8 Team (Cedar Crest) camp staff. Pray that they will maintain their own walk with the Lord and spiritual energy throughout the summer. Pray for their creativity and patience with the campers. Pray for the BCM (Baptist Campus Ministry) staff that are doing extra discipleship with the Acts 1:8 Team in the evenings and on weekends. Pray that Acts 1:8 Team members will learn a great deal about the Lord, themselves, and God’s plan for their lives through their experiences this summer.

Pray for the Overnights at the Creek in July and all who will be assisting. It’s not too late to register. Bring some girls and join us! For more information about WMU camps and overnights, go to www.kywmu.org/camp.